Margao-Goa: An elderly woman collapsed and later died while shifting her to the hospital, while two other women were rushed to the hospital when a casket carrying an embalmed body of a 15-year old girl was opened in her house on Sunday, 29 March evening. While the elderly woman Archangel Diniz was declared brought dead to the Hospicio Hospital in Margao, the other two women were admitted in the hospital and were being kept under observation.

According to sources, the incident occurred when the casket containing the embalmed body of the 15-year old girl arrived in her house at Betalbatim from Mumbai on Sunday evening. A number of visitors were inside the house when the casket was in the process of being opened. A neighbour, well known for lending a helping hand to dress up dead people for their funerals, said Archangel collapsed when the casket was opened, while two other women also complained of uneasiness and had to be rushed to the hospital. Many others also complained of burning sensation in the eyes.

It is learnt that according to the family doctor of Archangel, she was a heart patient and died of a heart attack after she collapsed. She was declared brought dead at Hospicio. The doctor had also pointed out that casket containing embalmed bodies should be normally opened outside the house or in a spacious room inside. Since the room was small and with many people around, the deceased and others around were affected when the container carrying the mortal remains of the girl was opened.

Sources reveal that the two women hospitalized were discharged later in the evening. Mumbai-based hospital ought to have advised and cautioned that containers carrying embalmed bodies should be opened outside the house. The incident could have been averted if the hospital had issued a warning not to open the container inside the house, according to the doctor.